Focusing on the social, intellectual and political context in which medical education took place, the author offers a detailed analysis of transformations in medical instruction in the UK, France, Germany and the US between the Enlightenment and World War II. From a comparative perspective, the study considers the characteristics of medical education in these countries and how divergent approaches to medical instruction mirrored as well as impacted their particular cultural contexts. The book opens with an examination of key developments in medical education during the late 18th century and continues by tracing the evolution of clinical teacing practices in the early 1800s. Bonner then charts the rise of laboratory-based teaching in the 19th century and the progression toward the establishment of university standards for medical education during the early 20th century. Throughout, he identifies changes in medical student populations and student life, including the opportunities available for women and minorities.